Senate races to avoid government shutdown with time ticking and lingering issues

The Senate will return to a fast-approaching government funding deadline, but this time both sides appear ready to avoid another shutdown.

When lawmakers in the upper chamber return Monday, they will have three working weeks to fund the government. That process fizzled out before they left town earlier in December, but lawmakers are hopeful that both parties can come together to ward off a repeat of September’s funding deadline.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters...